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A rusting vintage car wreck in the desert at Solitaire, Namibia

Solitaire

A tiny desert road stop on the C14, famous for rusting car wrecks, its bakery’s apple pie, and the sense of isolation around it.

Solitaire is a tiny settlement on the C14 in the Namib Desert, roughly midway between the Khomas Hochland escarpment and Sesriem. Built around little more than a general store, a fuel station and a bakery, it has become one of the most photographed stops on Namibia’s self-drive routes, thanks to its rusting vintage car wrecks and its well-known apple pie.

Photo: Bernd Dittrich / Unsplash.

RegionNamib Desert, on the C14 between the Khomas Hochland and Sesriem
Known forThe Solitaire Country Store, rusting car wrecks, apple pie
Getting thereGravel roads via Spreetshoogte or Remhoogte Pass from Windhoek and Rehoboth
Good forA fuel and rest stop en route to Sossusvlei, photography

Geographic setting

Solitaire sits on the edge of the Namib-Naukluft Park’s eastern boundary, in a stark landscape of gravel plains and distant mountain ranges. It marks a natural halfway point on the long desert drive between the central highlands and Sesriem, the gateway to Sossusvlei.

Hill and desert road landscape at the entrance to the settlement of Solitaire, Namibia

The road into Solitaire

Solitaire is reached across wide gravel plains and low hills typical of the Namib’s eastern margin, with the settlement appearing as a small, isolated cluster of buildings against the open desert.

Photo: Buiobuione, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Historical context

Solitaire developed as a simple road stop serving farmers and, later, tourists travelling between Windhoek, the coast and the Namib-Naukluft Park. Its general store and bakery became well known among Namibian road-trippers, and the settlement’s small collection of abandoned, rusting vehicles parked around the store has since become one of the most recognisable roadside sights in the country, frequently photographed against the desert light.

Present-day character

Solitaire remains little more than a store, bakery, fuel station and a small lodge, but its role as an essential stop on long desert drives, combined with its photogenic setting, has made it a destination in its own right rather than merely a place to refuel.

Why visit

Solitaire is worth a stop both for practical reasons, as one of the few fuel and food options on this stretch of road, and for its own quiet appeal: the car wrecks, the bakery, and the sense of isolation in the surrounding desert.

Main sights and experiences

The Solitaire Country Store and its bakery are the centrepiece of a visit, well known among travellers for apple pie and other baked goods sold to passing motorists. The rusting car wrecks scattered around the settlement, remnants of vehicles left over the decades, have become an informal photographic landmark, especially in the low light of early morning or late afternoon.

The small settlement of Solitaire, Khomas Region, Namibia, showing the general store and surroundings

The settlement

Solitaire consists of little more than the Country Store, its bakery, a fuel station and a small lodge, set against the open gravel plains of the eastern Namib.

Photo: Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Accommodation context

A small lodge at Solitaire offers overnight accommodation for travellers wanting to break the journey, though most visitors treat it as a short stop rather than a base. You can browse Sossusvlei accommodation on the accommodation hub.

Where to stay at Solitaire

Solitaire is a fuel stop and bakery rather than a town, but it is a useful overnight break between Sesriem and the coast. Beds here and on the surrounding farms fill early in season. These three span the range.

Places to stay near Solitaire

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Food, shopping, fuel and supplies

Solitaire has a fuel station, a general store and the well-known bakery, making it an important, and sometimes the only, place to refuel and buy food on this section of the route; travellers should not assume further options exist before Sesriem or Rehoboth.

How to get there

Solitaire is reached via gravel roads on the C14, commonly approached from Windhoek or Rehoboth via the scenic Spreetshoogte or Remhoogte passes, or from Sesriem and Sossusvlei to the south.

Getting around

Solitaire is tiny and entirely walkable; there is no need for a vehicle once parked at the store.

Best time to visit

Solitaire can be visited at any time of year, since it functions as a practical stop rather than a seasonal destination; early morning or late afternoon light is best for photographing the car wrecks.

Suggested length of stay

Most travellers stop for 20 to 40 minutes to refuel, buy food and take photographs before continuing their journey.

Road and vehicle considerations

The Spreetshoogte and Remhoogte passes involve steep gradients and require careful, slower driving; a standard vehicle can manage them with care, but caravans and low-clearance vehicles should take the more gradual route via Rehoboth.

Safety and responsible travel

Given the distances and limited services in this part of the Namib, travellers should always ensure they have enough fuel to reach Solitaire and enough to continue on to their next fuel stop, since running out in this area is a serious risk.

Related destinations

Sesriem. The gateway to Sossusvlei, south of Solitaire.

Explore »

Sossusvlei. Namibia’s iconic red dunes, reached via Sesriem.

Explore »

Sossusvlei and the Namib Desert. The wider region Solitaire belongs to.

Explore »

Frequently asked questions

Is Solitaire a real town?

Not in the usual sense; it is a tiny settlement built around a general store, bakery and fuel station, though it is a well-known and important stop on Namibia’s self-drive routes.

Why is Solitaire famous for apple pie?

The Solitaire Country Store’s bakery has built a reputation among Namibian road-trippers for its apple pie and other baked goods, making it a popular stop regardless of fuel needs.

Should I fill up with fuel at Solitaire?

Yes; fuel options are limited on this stretch of road, so it is sensible to refuel at Solitaire even if your tank is not empty.

Planning a stop in Solitaire?

See the wider Sossusvlei and Namib Desert region, build a self-drive route through the desert, or check the practical planning guides before you go.

Sossusvlei and Namib Desert hub Self-Drive Namibia guide Itineraries Travel Planning

Last reviewed: 27 July 2026.

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